How to watch Father Brown season 11 online: stream the period detective drama FREE from anywhere now

Q: We’re at the 11th series of Father Brown. What is the continuing appeal for you of working on this great series?

A: The chief attraction for me is that I never get bored. I've never been bored on this job - which is an incredibly unusual thing for an actor to say. Father Brown is constantly interested in everything that goes on around him. I find that easy to generate because so am I.

Q: Tell us more…

A: He's looking at the world all the time and there's always something to see. He is fascinated by the arrangement of life itself and the way people deal with each other and the things they don't say. That is what Miss Marple said: it's the unimportant things that are important. It’s very much the same for him. He has that Miss Marple thing of being the quiet observer. Increasingly, not so quiet sometimes actually! We've moved away from Chesterton’s Father Brown, and that's probably my fault. He is a lot more proactive now. And he seems to be picking a lot of locks lately, which we may have to address!

Q: What highlights should we be looking out for in the new series of Father Brown?

A: We have got some very good plots this year. In one episode, Sister Boniface gets arrested, but it's not her fault, funnily enough. To be continued… We also have a really nice episode about Brenda, which we're filming at the moment. It's about what happened to her when she was an evacuee. A letter has been written and thereby hangs a tale. We have to deal with a double murder – one historical and one contemporary, so it's a really strong plot. We have got a crime writing festival, too, which is great. It's lots of shenanigans about crime and people's enjoyment of it, and then suddenly it becomes very real for people.

Q: Why do the clergy lend themselves so well to crime solving?

A: Because they're outside society. They're not like policemen. They're not dealing with politics or other people. They have a spiritual realm, so they have somewhere else to come from when they view the world. And also they have a faith, which gives them an interior strength. They are right in the middle of the community as well, but not really of the community, particularly Catholic priests who are celibate. Father Brown is driven by something beyond merely solving the crime. For him, it's not an intellectual puzzle in the Sherlock Holmes tradition. The reward is not to solve the puzzle; the reward is somebody's soul. When the peace of the world is riven by bad things, he wants to put them right. He wants there to be peace.

Q: Father Brown is shown in many different territories all around the world. Why has it struck such a universal chord?

A: I think it's good storytelling. That's what it's about. It's also familiar in the sense that the same things happen in each episode. But then the same things happen in every single Haydn symphony. It doesn't make them any less individual, to use a probably over-wrought musical analogy - but there you go, I did it! So there's that. And also there is the whole appeal of the whodunit, to which there is always a resolution. There's an ending. It's solved. So you can put it away afterwards and say, “Right, that's good. We solved that. We learnt about the human condition”.

Q: What is the most unusual place you have been recognised?

A: A little girl in a sweet shop in Cartagena ran up and wrapped her arms around my legs and went, “Father Brown!” It happens quite regularly. You can be in all sorts of places.

Q: How is Chief Inspector Sullivan’s relationship with Mrs Devine evolving in this series?

A: There’s a woman's touch and then there's the divine touch! Mrs Devine has that. It’s a lovely relationship developing between them. It’s just a very natural connection between them. It was immediate. He’s always carried a torch for her. From the very beginning, they had an instant chemistry.

Q: Has Mrs Devine’s arrival brought Sullivan an added dimension?

A: Definitely. The lovely thing about Mrs Devine coming in is that it's given Sullivan a completely new, fresh layer. I've always felt that once you're a policeman, you always have to be a policeman. It's harder to play other dynamics because you are serving society and that's basically how you have to be seen. So where the other people in the cast could be a bit more flexible with their behaviour, I was always associated with being a policeman. If a policeman turns up on your doorstep, even if he is undercover, he's got an air about him of being a policeman or a detective. So the great thing for Sullivan and for the audience is now there's this extra depth to him. We can see two sides to him. It’s great for me playing Sullivan because now there's another part of him to explore.

Q: Are the other regular characters aware of Sullivan and Mrs Devine's "secret relationship"?

A: Yes! The funny thing is, Mrs Devine and Sullivan think they're doing a good job of hiding from the others the fact that they are now an item and very much in love. But it's very obvious to the others that they are together!

Q: Why do you think Father Brown has been such a hit all over the world?

First and foremost, because it’s about kindness. Even though there’s a murder every week, the Father Brown series has a depth of kindness to it. It's just got this unique flavour to it, where the writing and the relationships and the period all work really well. It's like reading a wonderful Jane Austen novel, where there's a real depth and honesty and truth to it. The world it portrays is something that we can all aspire to or relate to. So overall, there's an incredible warmth within the stories.

Q: Which episodes should we watch out for in the new season?

There is one episode that features ballroom dancing. There's a dance school that Mrs Devine and Brenda attend. They get a phone call to say that some talent spotters from a big TV show are coming. And obviously there's a murder – who would have thought it? But Sullivan is not impressed by dancing at all because when he was growing up, his dad made him go to lots of policemen's balls, and he was made to dance with his mum which he didn't like at all. So he has no interest in getting involved or going to watch Mrs Devine dance. Then something happens, and he has to come to the rescue. He has to step in, and step in he does.

A: What other delights do we have to look forward to in this series?

In this lovely world of Father Brown, we’ve got the Kembleford Olympics. This includes things like a spinach-eating contest, toe-wrestling and shin-bashing. It's unlike any other Olympics you've ever witnessed! I may have to get a stunt double for the feet. Alternatively, it may be the first time I've ever had a pedicure. They've offered me one, but I still haven't accepted!

Q: Are you enjoying playing the burgeoning romance between Mrs Devine and Chief Inspector Sullivan in this season?

A: Yes, I'm really loving it. It's great. The fact that Sullivan decided to stay was a nice surprise for Mrs Devine. She is hoping that something will develop there. It’s lovely for her to have that hope because I think she's ready for a new adventure romantically, I really do. I think it's been tough for her, nursing her husband after he was injured. It’s been hard. Why shouldn't she have another little chance and other little go at it? It’s good to meet somebody at her time of life.

Q: How would you describe Mrs Devine?

A: She’s just such a fun, sunny, optimistic character who I believe brings out the best in people. She’s really refreshing. What works so well in her relationship with Father Brown is that she comes things from another angle. She can spot things from a different perspective. She’s good that connecting with people because of all her amateur dramatics. She's a people person. She's social, and she's gossipy and so she hears things. That makes for a good dynamic with Father Brown. I think they work well as a team. It’s also great fun driving around the Cotswolds like a madwoman!

Q: Do you relish driving around in the vintage car?

A: Yes. In my first week on Father Brown, I got behind the wheel. I got to really put my foot down. The camera was attached to the car and I had to nearly run someone over. I had to hit him with the door and he flew off. And I just thought, “Oh my God, this is going to be the best job ever!”

Q: Why is Mrs Devine so good at helping Father Brown with his sleuthing?

A: Because she's got an innate curiosity about people. She has already proved that she can be a really good asset to him. Father Brown has always been on her radar, and she just thinks he's amazing. So she just wanted a chance to be a little part of it. I don't think she realised how it would go in terms of the status that she now has with him. But yes, she's good at it because she is very intuitive and practical.

Q: How has it been working with Mark?

A: It’s wonderful! He's intensely likeable. He’s just got that likeable thing that you can't put your finger on. He’s got great warmth and that marvellous face. He's got that friendly look, those twinkly eyes, that lovely smile. It's something that the camera really picks up. It all comes through, and that connects to the audience. His physicality is lovely, too. When he is thinking, you go, “Oh, what's he thinking? What's going on?” And I adore his mannerisms. He is like a little bird. I just love what he does. It’s like he paid me to say this, isn't it?!

Q: What do you like most about portraying Mrs Devine?

A: There is nothing really not to like about playing this character. I really, really love it. Mrs Devine just brings up my mood. It’s a joy. I can't wait to get to work every day!

Q: Where do we find Brenda at the beginning of this series?

A: She has got a little bit less feisty. She is not quite as angry with everyone. She doesn’t put a wall up and feel the need to defend herself all the time. She feels a lot safer. She is starting to let people in. Father Brown has softened her a lot. She feels safe and comfortable with him. Brenda is also quite important now, especially helping with solving all the mysteries and all the murders. She’s become a crucial part of that, so her self-esteem has gone up quite a bit because she knows she has a status now. She has got an interest in what she's going to do in the future, she has started to find her feet. She is even developing an interest in boys!

Q: Does Brenda really feel at home living with Father Brown now?

A: Yes. He is almost like a father figure to Brenda. It’s the same with Mrs Devine. They started off with a little bit of friction, but they definitely softened towards each other. It will be interesting to see how their dynamic progresses because they are a little family. Brenda looks after the house, while she is under the wing of Father Brown. And then goes out on little adventures with Mrs Devine. So it’s really cool.

Q: What is Brenda’s reaction to the developing relationship between Mrs Devine and Chief Inspector Sullivan?

A: Brenda has never liked authority or the police. So Chief Inspector Sullivan is not her favourite person. But she can see that he makes Mrs Devine very happy. Still, Brenda has got her eye on him to make sure he stays in line!

Q: Do you think the Cotswolds are another character in Father Brown?

A: Definitely. The Cotswolds are gorgeous. The fact that the scenery is so aesthetically beautiful is one of the things that everyone loves so much about Father Brown. And we only film what is there. We don’t use any effects. We are very lucky to have it on our doorstep. The old English countryside is so lovely.

Q: As it enters its 11th season, why do you think Father Brown is more popular than ever?

A: It’s family friendly, so everyone can watch it together. It's warm. It's funny. It's also got depth to it, but there’s nothing remotely terrifying or scary about it. So it's something which you can watch for comfort.